Sacramento daily record-union., 1887-08-15

for an indefinite time. g. A man in Joliet,
fused to work, would be kept there until he
is subdued, or until the Warden is satisfied
that the culprit will work. They guard
greatly against possible acts of incorrigibles
or dangerous prisoners. The arrangements
of this institution (Folsom) compare very
favorably with every prison l visited in the
East
Filcher-Do you think it right to treat in
corrigibles this way-as treated here?
Hendricks-1 believe the law should be
| changed SO that many would be removed
from association with all humankind that
they be confined in an isolated place. re-
strained from reproduction of their species
for instance, banished to some island, re-
mote from civilization.
Filcher-Don't you think death more
humane? Is it worse than to confine them
by slow death-inevitable fate?
Hendricks-1t is difficult position to
place me into ask me to answer that. 1t
would be more economical to the State !;
but you have no power in law to kill me in
this way. If a man is sentenced to Cherry
| Hill, the Pennsylvania penitentiary, for
thirty years, it is theoretically solitary, and
J renders the rule exceptional.
Mr.. Hendricks, continuing his evidence.
stated that he believed really that in many
! cases constant solitary confinement tended
to affect men by insanity. There are men
whom no official can depend upon as re-
formable so long as the mind and body are
together. He believed that an incorrigible
prisoner should be kept confined until he
shows signs of mending
Director Boggs-Mr. Filcher, you seem
TO be opposed to solitary confinement alto
gether?
Filcher-No; l am in favor of confine-
| ment, not extreme though. | once advo-
| Gated before the Legislature the practice of
| Hogging wife-beaters. think was right.
Hendricks--The experience of the best
| penologists for forty years teaches that
whipping makes the worst culprits resent
| ful.
John Knight, being next called, testified:
| was in San Quentin in 1878 for burglary
J in the second degree, and | am here now
for burglary and grand larceny from Ala
media county. | came here on March IL +.
| 1882, and | am % years OF age | have
been in solitary confinement for the last
| twenty five months ON the charge of aiding
prisoners to escape. The food is all right.
and so is the quality of it, such as there is.
The beans on the table [ cannot eat After
having no exercise or fresh air mans in
sides give out. For two months out of ten
| months only l had exercise, when under
the doctors care. / had chance to walk
up and down the corridor ten minutes
every morning. / want to go to work in
| the quarry or anywhere.
The records show that Knight in 1882
was sentenced to solitary confinement
| slxty-three days for abuse of and gross i'm
pudence to officers. He was let out in
thirty-three days by order of the doctor
when sick. but put on bread and water
again when charged with having opium
| pipes, smuggling letters and aiding fellow
prisoners to escape.
Knight Continuing said The weapon
found IN my possession was to protect N.Y.
self against Blueskin." He is a fighter,
who intended to kill me. He is crank on
| pugilism, of which he talks solely day and
| night Blueskin" threatened TO gouge
out my eyes and cut my throat if ever he
saw me when we were out to get water in
| the corridor. He had chance to assassin
| ate me, and / tried to arm myself. | found
| it very hard TO quit smoking opium three
| years ago. i never had file in nv cell. |
was
sHowEREDn IN SAN QUENTIN
When x-Lieutenant-G Governor Johnson
| was Warden. He tied me up by the arms
| on ladder and threw a stream of water
L
| that punishment TO the solitary confipe-
| ment at San Quentin. Solitary and dun
geon are two different things. In the dun
geon you get bread and water only. | have
| not been treated right here and | think
| thirty or forty days solitary confinement
and twenty DAYS on bread and water rea-
sonable punishment for aiding a prisoner
| to escape. was showered in this prison
four years ago. | think this punishment
hurts me much more than constant con-
finement without limit. think would
act differently if | had this business to go
through again. admit that / have been
frequently punished for breaking rules.
would like to go TO San Quentin If the
same officials stay here, / will have no
show, and | might behave myself better
| there.
Ezra Knapp, foreman of the quarry. re-
lated his experience with Knight. The
latter had peculiar spells, at times was nm
manageable. He detailed with particular
ity his many acts of insubordination and
defiance. He demoralized the other prison
ers, and he had been compelled to report
him to the captain of the guard three or
four times: Mr.. Knapp, in conclusion,
| added: When | give up man there is
no use for anyone else to try him."
DR.. Durant said the solitary confinement
would not tell on an able. bodied man for
ten or twelve years. Thought Knight a
half-breed Indian and Mexican; most of
those people are tainted with scrofulus
troubles and they do not have the strength
| of constitution of white man.
Patrick Welsh. who is in for six wears
for burglary, was the next witness. He,
too, had been confined in solitary for fight
ing, He had been in close confinement for
lightweight days. He says he has nothing
to complain of now. Has had all the food
exercise, ETC., he wants since the 11th of
july He admitted to having had great
many fights.
Captain Chambers said Welsh was a
fighter. He was the one that cut Rebel
George. Would let him out now were It
not tor the uneasiness among the prisoners.
caused by this investigation.
}. W. Barry, the next convict called upon
TO testify, said he was serving a sentence
for an assault with deadly weapon. from
Red Bluff He was put in solitary confine-
ment Tor speaking to exPrison Director
Hendricks, and came here in 1884 under
Chambers.
remained there two years and got into
no trouble. l wanted to see Director Hen
bricks about my case on q petition for a
pardon. Captain PAUL reached me before
had chance to address the Director, who
was IN the corridor, and | was ordered
away. Hot words passed, and | was con-
fined. | wanted.to get my blankets, specta-
eles, pillow. etc, but he would not let me
move my things. | was kept twelve DAYS
on bread and water, then got sick and the
doctor refused 10 treat me. | had cramps
and dlarrhea, and was left seventeen DAYS
there. Assistant Physician Sturgeon then
got me some food, and when got better
was kept three months longer in that CELL
| have been three weeks and month with
out an opportunity of washing my face
Captain PAUL ill-treated me the worst. All
the men made great deal of noise, and
admit that l made considerable myself.
They put shackles on me for kicking on
the door, when did not do so. | was con-
fined with the worst man in the prison,
Hunt.
"Old man Hunt gets into all sorts of
| mischief and trouble, for which | get
blamed and punished. He is not safe
man, and would kill me if he had the
show" The witness detailed at great
length many grievances against guards,
prisoners and others. On the 18th
instant, witness claimed that he will have
been in solitary confinement one year. 81
was bucked and gagged by guard once
in the presence of officers" complained
the convict witness. "I had been yelling
a good deal, and that was my punishment.
Tho oo =, rx-oc mt n,rar 49,, bocl 49,.